Sean Payton Didn’t Need To Get Nasty, Says Ex-Bronco Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson is showing some newfound bite!
You mess with awkward Russell Wilson … you get the horns! The free agent NFL quarterback jumped back into his simmering feud with ex-coach and Broncos skip Sean Payton, appearing on Bussin’ With The Boys, and it’s clear the comments from last season are still bothering him.
"I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but to take a shot, I don’t like," Wilson told The Boys.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire)
Russ explained why he chose not to stay silent for so long against a coach who seemingly hated his guts from the jump.
"I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too… It’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me."
The major plot point in their history of subtle, often loud, beef traces back to Denver’s wild 33-32 comeback win over the Giants last season.
Sean Payton never wanted Russell Wilson as his QB, and that friction has spilled over as Wilson heads to new teams. (Getty Images)
Wilson began the year as New York’s starting quarterback before being replaced early in the season by rookie Jaxson Dart after a rough start.
When the Broncos pulled off the win, Payton commented on the Giants’ quarterback switch and admitted he and Giants owner John Mara had hoped the move "would’ve happened long after our game."
Denver would have rather faced Wilson.
Wilson didn’t let it slide. He responded on social media with a line that immediately grabbed attention across the league.
"Classless… but not surprised… Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media." Invoking Bountygate showed some simmering backbone from the tepid Wilson. It was a rare public swing from a quarterback who had long leaned into a Boy Scout.
Payton later tried to walk it back, saying the comment was about praising Dart and not meant as a personal jab. That explanation did little to mask the bitterness. Wilson and Payton lasted one season together in Denver. It ended with Wilson benched, the Broncos eating a massive dead cap hit and both sides moving on without much warmth.
Now Wilson sits in free agency with something to prove and, clearly, something to say. And the milquetoast, "Let’s Ride" version of Russ looks a little different these days. He sounds more willing to get his revenge.
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